Disposable tissue dispenser and container



June 2, 1953 M. B. SMITH 2,640,587

DISPOSABLE TISSUE DISPENSER AND CONTAINER Filed Oct. 4. 1948 INVENTRESS/M4522 61 6mm 1 r 1 I I Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTDISBOSABEE- TISSUE DISPENSER AN D GONTAINERE MaheIBi Smith, Los Angcles,Calif.

- Application October 4, 1948; Serial No: 52,649

zonims. (01. 2206-37) This invention relatesto: a container.andadis'epenser for disposable tissues which may becarriedl-intheipocketeofithe user, and which may be incorporated in aladys handbag or pocketbook.

The mainobjects of this invention are: taprovide an improved dispenser'for disposable tissues in which a paclc offoldedtissues maybe carried,and which protects the tissues until they are withdrawn therefrom; toprovide. a dispenser." having. an improved shape of' opening throughwhich the tissues are withdrawn; to provide: ahandy container" forenclosing, and protecting a hack: of folded disposable tissues which:may. be conveniently and inconspicuously carried? in the pocketof a;mans suit aswell' as. in the. pocketboiolrv or: purse of a woman; toprovide an improved. device of this character which be built'in or:incorporated into. a. lady s pocketbook or purse, and from which thedisposable tissues may be withdrawn withoutthemecessity of looking intothe purse, but merely by exploring with the fingers; and to provideadispenser for disposable tissues which will preservethe tissues in cleanand sanitary condition until it is desired to use them.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a unitary container or dispenserhaving the improved shape of opening in the lid or cover thereof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1 with thecover or lid shown in open position in broken lines; and

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in cut-away section, ofa ladys handbag having the improved dispenser incorporated or built intothe bag as an integral part thereof, and showing in broken lines thedispenser opened for refilling with tissues.

At the present time, disposable tissues are in extensive use by both menand women, and the common practice is to carry a few of these tissuesloose, either in a womans purse or in the pocket of a mans coat. Thesetissues are all relatively fragile, and when rubbed around with thecontents of a womans purse or abraded by movement in a man's pocket,they tend to roll up and disintegrate, and in a short time becomeuseless for their intended purpose.

In addition thereto, the aforementioned method of carrying the tissuesby either a man or a woman renders them unsanitary and to some extentunfit for use.

In the present invention, the folded tissues in the form of a packcontaining a dozen or so are 2 placed in thecontainer-"or dispenser; andmay-*b'ecarried for an indefinite timewithout becoming. soiled ordisintegrated; and the" particular shape oflthe dispenser openingthrough which they are" removed is such that they may be easily andreadily removed without tearing, and merely by touchof" the fingerswithout requiring a visual inspectionofthe-dispenser or'theopening-therein.

In the construction shown in the-drawings, oneembodi'mentof'the improveddispenser comprises a' two part caseor container similar-to acigarettecase and having a baseportion' 4 of generalre'c-- tar'igular shape and alidorcover portion 5 of the sameshape" which together provide areceptacle adapted to-receive' a packet of folded disposable tissuesgenerally designated- 8'; The twoparts of the-caseare connected by-ahinge! ii; and a spring? friction fastener l-2-' is provided in theopposite side for releasably holding; the two" parts of "the casetogether, as shown in Figs; 1 and 2" of the drawings. Theccvenmembenfiis adapted to be swung upwardlyon its hinge as" shownin broken. lines-inFig: 2 for'refilling the container with sues when desired.

The cover member 6 is provided with an opening therein of hourglass ordumbbell shape having a sinuate outline devoid of angular corners andproviding a neck portion Id of sufiicient width to permit the insertionof the fingers of the user for gripping tissues and withdrawing themthrough the opening. At each side of the neck portion [4, the openingflares out to provide enlarged head portions l6 and I8 which are ofsufiicient size to permit the ready withdrawal of the folded ends of thetissues without tearing or harming them in any way. The marginal edgesof the cover around the dispenser opening overlap all of the foldededges of the tissues so as to retain them snugly within the container,yet permit their ready withdrawal.

As shown in Fig. 1, the opening through the cover is of such shape as toprovide a pair of aligned inwardly extending and opposed tongues orfingers 2i) and 22 which overlay the medial portions of the foldedtissues, but with the 0pposed ends spaced sufficiently apart to providethe neck portion 14 of the opening.

Disposable tissues of one brand are now sold in small packets in whichthey are folded to the approximate size of a cigarette case, and thesepackets may be readily placed into my improved dispenser without anyre-folding of the tissues.

The cover portion 6 having the improved shape of dispenser openingtherein may be incorporated or built into a ladys handbag or purse asillustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings in which the cover member 6 ishinged at 24 to one side wall of a ladys handbag generally designated 26along its lower or hinged edge, and the upper end is detachably securedby a snap fastener 28. The side wall 30 of the handbag 26 forms theopposite side for the cover 6, and when this form of the dispenser isfilled with tissues, they may be readily withdrawn by merely opening thehandbag and sliding the fingers down the side wall to the opening in thecover 6. The opening through the cover 6 is of such distinctive shapethat without looking, the person may readily grasp the tissues byinserting the fingers at each side of the neck portion I 4 and thenbringing the fingers together, thus withdrawing the tissue from theopposite enlarged ends of the opening and bringing it out through theopening without tearing or otherwise harming the tissue.

Although but two specific embodiments of this dispenser have been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cover or lid for confining a pack of disposable tissues folded insubstantially rectangular form and characterized by having an openingtherein through which the tissues may be withdrawn, said opening beingof substantially dumbbell or hourglass shape and having two relativelylarge elongated heads connected by a relatively narrow neck, the neckbeing defined by a pair of spaced and opposed tongue-like portions ofthe cover, said neck portion being sufficiently wide to permit theinsertion of a users finger to engage a folded tissue at its mid-point,the tongues being broad and rounded and the head openings extendingclose to the adjacent ends of the cover and being sufiiciently large topermit free removal of the ends of the folded tissue, and thetongue-like portions being disposed to overlie a major portion of theedge of a folded tissue flap.

2. A disposable tissue dispenser adapted to contain a pack of tissuesfolded in rectangular form, comprising a container having a wall with anopening therein through which tissues may be withdrawn, said openinghaving widened ends and a pair of spaced opposed tongues defining anarrowed intermediate portion and providing access to tissues within thecontainer, said container being arranged to receive the folded tissueswith an uppermost tissue edge bridging the narrowed intermediateportion, the ends of the opening being formed on symmetrical curves, theinner curvatures of which face each other, the ends of the openingsextending laterally in directions parallel to the longitudinal axes ofthe tongues to points adjacent the ends of the container, and thetongues having rounded ends of appreciable width compared to thedistance between the ends of the opening.

MABEL B. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date D. 115,419 Munson et al June 27, 1939 D. 152,665 Weiss Feb. 8,1949 358,722 Betsinger Mar. 1, 1887 512,565 Read Jan. 9, 1894 578,552Ebersold Mar. 9, 1897 1,376,099 Kaufman Apr. 26, 1921 1,793,899Benforado Feb. 24, 1931 2,124,920 Lambooy July 26, 1938 2,324,738Stieglitz July 20, 1943 2,382,368 Mitchell, Jr Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 429,183 Germany June 1, 1926

